Holding On
by The Last Don
Summary: Sequel to 'Don't let go. Skye's back! And Rory and Jess' love gets tested when a familiar face comes back on the scene, wanting what he left behind
1. Default Chapter

HOLDING ON  
  
By: Doms1luv  
  
***  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own GG, otherwise Jess would be locked up in my cupboard. (Wink wink). Hey a girl can dream right!  
  
Summary: This is the sequel to "Don't let go". It takes place a while after that conclusion. Skye's back but there's another familiar face coming back on the scene soon!  
  
A/N: I was really surprised regarding the amazing response to that fiction so I really hope that I can continue that standard with this one. And also I hope that you guys enjoy this as much too!!!!!  
Chapter 1  
  
Happy anniversary.  
  
~~~  
  
"Keep 'em closed Rory!"  
  
"But why?" she moaned.  
  
"Because."  
  
"Can't I just take a peek?"  
  
"No! It's a surprise. And surprise by definition is 'something sudden or unexpected or the feeling of shock and wonder caused by this'. You taking a peek would, could not be defined as part of the surprise. Understand?"  
  
"I guess. are we there yet?" she whined.  
  
"G-d Rory! Will you just let me do this for you this once please?" He asked with a tinge of desperation.  
For the first time Jess began to doubt his actions. What if she didn't like it? Was it too over the top? Was it too soon?  
  
"Okay, I'm sorry." She said, still letting him lead the way. "No more begging for indications or anything I swear."  
  
And a bit of the worry that had begun to worm its way into his mind dissipated.  
  
"Good. We are almost there by the way."  
  
"Good to hear."  
  
Jess smiled at the hint of petulance in her voice, knowing it would all be worth it if it worked out the way that he had imagined countless times.  
  
"Okay Miss Gilmore," he drawled a while later, "we have arrived at our destination."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Rory opened her eyes and was completely awe-struck.  
  
Words were irrevocable as she surveyed the scene before her, her disbelief growing with each passing moment.  
  
She was still dumbfounded when she turned to face Jess.  
  
"Surprise!" he said weakly and Rory realised that he was still waiting for her to speak.  
  
"Say something please Rory, I'm dying here."  
  
"Jess I - " was all she could manage.  
  
"You hate it don't you?" he asked despondently.  
  
The self-deprecating expression on his face kicked Rory into action.  
  
"Hate it? Are you kidding me? I love it!!" she shrieked jumping into his arms with glee.  
  
She pulled back, meeting him half way for a kiss. It still amazed her how deliriously happy he made her.  
  
"I can't believe you did all this for me." She said breathlessly.  
  
He leaned down for another kiss.  
  
"Who else would I do it for? Although come to think of it there's this girl at school -" he trailed off.  
  
She playfully swatted his arm; "You know what I mean."  
  
"Yeah, I do.I would do anything for you Rory." He told her earnestly, brushing her lips with his thumb.  
  
She turned back to the surprise, wrapping his arms around her.  
  
They were at the bridge and Jess had strategically placed candles all along it.  
  
Their incandescent glow, along with the starlight added an almost surreal quality.  
  
Rory felt as thought she was in a fairytale and her Prince Charming was right beside her.  
  
He'd put down a blanket and strewn it with rose petals, their fragrance permeating the night air.  
  
"I never figured you for the romantic Jess."  
  
"Well you inspire me, hopefully this will end all doubt."  
  
Jess took her hand and sat her down, turning her to face him so that their legs loosely straddled each other and produced a single rose - white, fringed with red.  
  
"This is a symbol of my adoration for you, pure but ever growing." He said ever so softly.  
  
She could feel the tears welling up inside.  
  
"Rory what's wrong?" he asked panic-stricken.  
  
"Nothing." She hastened to reassure him.  
  
"But you're crying."  
  
"Happy tears Jess." She smiled.  
  
"Whew! Okay. You had me worried their for a sec." He said, gently brushing away the tears.  
  
Rory felt the mood change as he looked at her incessantly.  
  
"What?" she asked, suddenly self-conscious.  
"I still can't get used to how beautiful you are."  
  
"Jess - " she could feel the beginnings of a blush coming on.  
  
"And how alive I feel when I'm with you," he continued, "And how I can never get enough of this," he said, kissing her again.  
  
Rory ran her fingers through his hair, marvelling at the texture and softness, pulling him closer.  
  
Time was suspended as she felt her entire being melding into his.  
  
But eventually they had to come up for air.  
  
"I love you Rory, so very much." He said stroking her hair.  
  
Rory loved it when he did that, she felt so sheltered with him. She still had her moments of vulnerability but she didn't mind them being bared because it was Jess.  
  
And he never made her feel inadequate only cosseted.  
  
"I don't think I could love you more than I do right now."  
  
Jess smiled at her and Rory found herself mesmerised by the swirls of hazel in his eyes.  
  
"Well we'll see." He said mysteriously.  
  
"What did you do?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"It's not what I did, it's more of what I'm hoping we're gonna do."  
  
Now Rory's curiosity was definitely piqued.  
  
"Jess - " she warned lightly.  
  
He kissed her again and Rory was lost once again.  
  
"You can't keep doing that you know."  
  
"What?" he asked in mock innocence.  
  
"Kissing me to change the subject." She said huffily.  
  
"Oh that, and of course we both know that's the only reason I do kiss you." He retorted blithely.  
  
"Please tell me." But her sterness was gone; she couldn't stay mad at him for long. Not when he was treating her like a princess.  
  
"Six months ago my life changed, for the better and I just wanted to say thank you for making me a better person, for putting up with me when I am a total ass, for supporting me. I know there have been tough times and I'm in no doubt that there still will be but I love you and I wanted to show you how much, so - " he said putting something in her hand, "Happy anniversary."  
  
Rory looked down, the shock a bit overwhelming, "Oh my G-d!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He was finally free. Free to go after her, the one who held his mind captured for so long.  
  
And this time nothing would stand in his way.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
TBC.So what's the verdict, should I carry on? Please be so kind as to review!!! And if you guys are interested a new chapter will be up after the weekend. Also don't forget to pass on any suggestions, every bit helps. 


	2. Trust a little

Chapter 2  
  
Trust a little  
  
~~~  
  
The anticipation was so great he could taste it.  
  
All he could think about was her but he was consoled with the fact that he would see her again soon.  
  
There were just a few things he needed to take care of first.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We're really gonna do this?" the excitement obvious in her eyes.  
  
Jess laughed, it made him happy seeing her like this.  
  
"Yes Rory, we are really going to do this."  
  
"Oh my G-d!" she said jumping up and down.  
  
She threw her arms around him and Jess swung her around. Their laughter mingling with the crisp cool morning air of Stars Hollow.  
  
"I think I should surprise you more often if this is what your reaction's gonna be."  
  
"I don't think I'll be able to stand the titillation."  
  
"Is that your way of telling me not to?" he asked.  
  
"Hell no, bring it on!"  
  
They laughed again.  
  
"But seriously though Jess, you don't have to do these things for me. I love you and the way things are between us."  
  
"I know and it's 'cause I love you that I want to make you happy."  
  
"You already do make me happy. did I mention that I really can't wait?" she asked hugging him again.  
  
"It might have come up in passing, yeah." He pointed out, leaning his forehead against hers.  
  
"You do know that this means a ton of lectures right? From mom and Luke. especially Luke."  
  
"Don't remind me." He groaned.  
  
That point had been weighing on Jess' mind even though he had sussed out the situation with Lorelai first.  
  
It was a relief to know that Rory's mom finally accepted him as part of her daughter's life but that didn't mean she was gonna be totally compliant with the turn of events.  
  
If anything, this was cause for her to start hating him all over again.  
  
And in all honesty, knowing what it was like to be on the good side of the Mama Gilmore, Jess didn't want to go backwards. His life was with Rory; he only wanted to look to the road ahead.  
  
"So do you wanna tell them?"  
  
"Now?"  
  
"Yeah, now is as good a time as any. Besides the sooner we tell them, the sooner we can go." She argued logically.  
  
"You mean the sooner we tell them, the sooner we can get locked up and never be let out of their sight." He counter argued.  
  
"Pessimist!"  
  
"Last night I was a romantic, now I'm a pessimist?" He asked in mock seriousness.  
  
She smiled back at him; "Well what can I say? I'm in love with a very complex guy."  
  
"In love huh?"  
  
"Absolutely!"  
  
"Good!" he said, pulling her closer as he brushed his lips with hers.  
  
"Come on, let's go tell them the great news." Rory said a long while later.  
Jess let her drag him by the hand, secure in the knowledge that they were together on this.  
  
But he also knew, even though it was great news for him and Rory, Lorelai and Luke might not see it that way.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"How could you just sit there and agree with that like it was for the best?" Luke yelled at Lorelai a while later.  
  
"Luke will you please calm down, you're making a bigger deal out of this than is called for."  
  
"Calm down? Were you or were you not here when they told us? Did you not hear the words that came out their mouths, the implications?"  
  
"Down boy!"  
  
"Lorelai - " Luke warned, "How can you be so blasé about this?"  
  
"I am not being blasé. I am just being a bit more mature that's all."  
  
"Mature?" Luke spluttered.  
  
"Think about it for a moment okay. They didn't have to come to us; they could have just gone. It's a given I expect more than that from Rory but the point is they came to us. They, Luke - Jess and Rory." She emphasised.  
  
"Doesn't make me feel any better."  
  
"They're young and in love."  
  
"Love can make you do crazy things."  
  
"Don't be so misanthropic Lucas." She teased.  
  
"I told you never to call me that." He said direly.  
  
"You better sit down before your cap blows off from the pressure."  
  
"Funny."  
  
"Listen, if anyone should be worried here, it should be me. But I'm not - "  
  
Luke raised a sceptical eyebrow.  
"Okay, maybe not so much not worried but I can understand where they're coming from. Granted, Jess and I didn't exactly get along like a house fire initially and granted, we still do have our moments from time to time - point is I trust them, both of them. And you should too."  
  
"I don't know about this."  
  
"He loves her. I was the last person who wanted to see it but even I can't dispute that fact." She continued, "Heck, even my parents think he's quite well versed, a bit rough around the edges but still - they approve. Which is a bit scary actually - " she trailed off.  
  
"I don't want to see her hurt." He said concerned.  
  
"Neither do I! But he could be the one to get hurt too." She reasoned.  
  
"Why because she's her mother's child?"  
  
"Ouch! But no, I meant because they have that kind of power over each other. They're growing up and we just have to believe that they'll make the right choices. And if they don't they should know that we're here to catch them."  
  
They sat for a while, both just thinking.  
  
"It's a big step." Luke said.  
  
"I know."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She was coming out of the drugstore when she collided with a hard wall.  
  
"Geez look where you're going next ti -" she started saying but was cut off, her breath caught in her throat.  
  
"How about next time you and I meet in a less hostile manner, not that I'm complaining understand." His eyes roamed the length of her body and she felt a shiver run down her spine.  
  
"Go to hell!" she spat at him.  
  
"Ooh, temper. I like, adds some spice to the equation don't you think?"  
  
She found herself looking into the cockiest pair of blue eyes she'd ever seen.  
  
And she had never wanted to run as much as she did right then.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: So carry on or not? Thanks for the reviews so far. 


	3. Dropping by

A/N: I understand some of you may be a bit confused and I am really sorry. So I'll give you a hint - the girl with the blue-eyed guy - it's not Rory!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Dropping By  
  
~~~  
  
"Thanks for understanding mom." Rory told Lorelai the following afternoon.  
  
"Hey, what can I say? I'm fabulous cool mom remember."  
  
"But still, I was expecting you to kick up a bit of a fuss." She explained.  
  
"Would you feel better if I did?"  
  
"Nah." She laughed, shaking her head.  
  
"Then stop complaining, I might just change my mind." Lorelai shook her finger at her.  
  
"Yes ma'am."  
  
"Just promise me you'll call okay." She said on a more serious note.  
  
"You know I will." Rory hugged her mom.  
  
"And be careful!"  
  
"Boy in the plastic bubble careful!" they said together, both remembering a time when Rory had been warned against hanging around Jess.  
  
"Seriously though mom, we will be. I'm just so excited!"  
  
"You just can't fight it?" Lorelai ogled.  
  
"Oh no! You're not singing that song!" Rory giggled, closing her suitcase.  
  
"C'mon Ror, it's a classic!" she jokingly chastised.  
  
"Puleez!" Rory retorted.  
  
"And I know, I know - " Lorelai carried on.  
"Mom cut it out!"  
  
"Spoilsport."  
  
"You'll live," she reasoned, "come on Jess is gonna be here any second. I don't wanna keep him waiting."  
  
"Yes he has been rather punctual of late hasn't he?"  
  
"We both know that's never been a problem with him."  
  
"Wonder why that is," Lorelai pondered, "could it be 'cause he can't wait to get to you? What are you doing the poor boy Rory?" she teased amiably.  
  
"Mom!" Rory felt her cheeks redden under her mom's scrutiny.  
  
"Just kidding kid. Hey, you can't help it if he keeps a knocking right?"  
  
"Whatever." Rory rolled her eyes, "okay all set."  
  
"Wow, I'm getting all misty eyed here. My baby's growing up. Your first trip away with your boyfriend. Your boyfriend .Jess. Hey maybe I shouldn't have been so understanding after all."  
  
"Mom!" Rory was horrified at the possibility that she might have to cancel.  
  
"Just kidding."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Luke would you please stop yelling?"  
  
"I am not yelling!" Luke shouted.  
  
"Then what would you call you it?"  
  
"Trying to get my point across."  
  
"Well, then you can relax knowing you have, in fact you got it across yesterday." Jess said wryly.  
  
"Don't be a smart ass!"  
  
"Can't help it, it runs in the family."  
  
"Jess - " Luke warned.  
  
"What? I'm sorry Luke but this really is getting old. Rory and I didn't have to ask your permission,"  
  
"You didn't if I recall." Luke cut him off.  
  
Jess glared at him, "Point is we told you and Lorelai is okay with it, so I really don't see why you have to continue with this whole sinister overtones and dire warnings thing you got going on."  
  
"You're too young!" Luke insisted.  
  
"Nothing's gonna happen."  
  
Jess had to hold back a laugh at Luke's incredulous expression.  
  
"Okay, nothing's gonna happen that BOTH of us don't want." He amended.  
  
"I'm sorry but is that supposed to make me feel better?"  
  
"I'm not trying to make you feel better!" Jess bit back. "Okay that didn't come out the way it was supposed to."  
  
He raked his hands through his hair in frustration.  
  
"How was it supposed to come out then?"  
  
"I wouldn't do anything to deliberately hurt Rory. I love her; she means everything to me. My life has so much more meaning since she came into it, I just wanted to thank her and show her how important she is to me. That's what this is about, making her happy."  
  
"Well I suppose sharing things that are important to you will do that." Luke said after a long deliberation.  
  
"I'm ready for this Luke." Jess said sincerely.  
  
"I know," Luke sighed, "just promise you'll take care of her and yourself."  
  
"I will." he swore.  
  
"And don't forget to pass on the message."  
  
Jess grinned, knowing that the recipient would appreciate it.  
  
"I won't."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She was still haunted by the image of him a couple of nights later and she could feel it taking a strain.  
  
It made no sense to her why she couldn't stop thinking about him, when all she'd wanted to do was run.  
  
He'd been so cocky, as though he prided himself on being a bad boy. Sure he'd seemed all prim and proper but his eyes - they had been a dead give away.  
  
There was a rebelliousness lurking in their depths that she couldn't have missed and it only added to the attraction.  
  
What was so different about this one?  
  
"What I wouldn't give to know what was going on in your head right now." She was interrupted from her musings.  
  
"Hey? Oh I'm sorry Brandon."  
  
"Don't be," he smiled, "just tell me - anything good?"  
  
She grinned, "You could say that yeah."  
  
"Must've been 'cause your eyes are glowing. You've been doing that a lot lately." He said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Drifting off into your own world."  
  
"Yeah?" she didn't think it had been that noticeable.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
She was thankful he didn't press it, unlike someone else.  
  
"So what's it like being back home?" he asked, changing the subject.  
  
"It's been interesting."  
  
She saw his gaze shift and a smirk light his face.  
  
"Well, something tells me it's gonna get a lot more 'interesting' as you put it." He said, motioning behind her.  
She turned around, shock and disbelief her first reactions to the sight before her.  
  
"No way!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
TBC: I'm sure you guys know who the girl is now right? So, should I continue or forget it about it? Let me know!! 


	4. Familiar Faces

Chapter 4  
  
Familiar faces  
  
~~~  
  
"Yes way."  
  
The expression on Skye's face was one Jess would remember for a very long time.  
  
He'd missed her so much.  
  
"Jess!" she shrieked, jumping off her stool and straight into his outstretched arms.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
Jess rose an eyebrow, "Not welcome am I?"  
  
He was met with a reproachful look.  
  
"You've gotta be kidding me right? Oh my G-d, you're really here!" she screamed again, enveloping him in another hug.  
  
"Yup." he said smiling.  
  
"It's been a long time, hasn't it?"  
  
"Too long." Jess said.  
  
"Wow! I'm sorry but this is just so cool. We've got so much catching up to do - wait a minute, nothing's wrong right?" she asked anxiously.  
  
"No!" he hurriedly reassured her, "everything is absolutely perfect! Rory and I are here together."  
  
"That's excellent news!" she said, clearly relieved. "Where is she?"  
  
"Back at the hotel."  
  
"So why isn't she with you?"  
  
"She wanted to call her mom and I guess I just wanted to case the old hangouts first, see if it was gonna be appropriate bringing her to them."  
  
"Oh my word, you're finally going to let her in on that part of your life? About time."  
  
"I thought so too." He shrugged genially.  
  
"How long are you guys in New York for?"  
  
"About two weeks but it's not set in stone or anything."  
  
"That's good to hear. Flexibility - definitely an asset."  
  
"So what was I interrupting?" he asked.  
  
"What? Oh, Brandon and I were just talking, bouncing ideas around for some material."  
  
Jess smiled and shook his head.  
  
"Old habits die hard." He said knowingly and Skye grinned.  
  
"Guilty as charged.Yo, Brandon!"  
  
"Yeah?" he asked, glaring at Jess.  
  
"You don't mind if we take a break do you?"  
  
"Not a problem Skye." He said, getting up out of his seat, albeit reluctantly in Jess' opinion.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Come sit, talk to me." She said turning back to him, " You want something to drink?"  
  
"A soda would fine thanks."  
  
"Coming right up."  
  
He sat down in the stool that Brandon had just vacated, watching her.  
  
"What? What's the matter?" she asked.  
  
Jess laughed, "Nothing's the matter Matthews, I'm just reacquainting myself with your features."  
  
"Is that such a good thing? You might decide that six months isn't long enough to not see me." She joked.  
  
"Don't Skye - " Jess warned.  
  
"Don't what?"  
  
"You know."  
  
She sighed as Jess' drink was handed to him.  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"It's cool." He shrugged.  
  
"So six months huh?" she smiled.  
  
He grinned back at her.  
  
"Yeah. Sometimes I can't believe that we're really together, that she's stuck it out with me this long."  
  
"She's smart and she knows a good thing when she sees it. You my friend," she lifted her glass in a salutation, "are most definitely a good thing."  
  
"You're good for my ego, you know that?"  
  
"Hey, just think of me as your very own ego booster. One part of the set."  
  
"Set?" he asked puzzled.  
  
"Me and Rory. although our roles are quite different. I'm sure she's been giving you lots of praise in other departments." She said, implicatively arching an eyebrow, her eyes turning to a dazzling mauve.  
  
"She's happy enough, well I've received no complaints so far." He laughed modestly.  
  
"Don't think you will anytime soon." She said matter of factly.  
  
Jess realised again, how close he had gotten to losing the chance with Rory. He knew Skye loved him and it was because of her that his eyes had been opened to fact that he was worthy of Rory's love.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" she asked, bringing him back from his thoughts.  
  
"That night you left."  
  
"Ah, you mean the night your life truly began."  
  
"If you hadn't persuaded me to go back and tell her I would have still been miserable without her."  
  
"I don't think so."  
  
"You don't think I would've been miserable?" he asked, baffled.  
  
"No, I don't think you would've been without her. She would've found you. You two belong together."  
  
"You sound really sure."  
  
"That's 'cause I am." She said assuredly.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"What about me?" she asked, indifference colouring her words.  
  
"When are you gonna let yourself love, be loved?" he threw at her, ignoring the fact that she had tried to change the subject.  
  
"I do love and I am loved Jess."  
  
"You know what I mean." He evinced.  
  
"There's no time for that." She countered, dismissively.  
  
"There's always time for love Skye."  
  
"Well aren't we just the regular Austen and Bronte rolled into one." She drawled.  
  
"I'm gonna ignore that last remark."  
  
"Suit yourself." She pouted.  
  
"You'll find someone." He said firmly.  
  
"I wouldn't count on it." She replied equally resolutely.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So then the coffee pot came to life and stared singing 'Black Velvet' and then it started chasing me around the kitchen. All the cups and saucers started flying out the cupboard and I tried to get away, but then I couldn't move - you wanna know why I couldn't move? Because the kitchen floor was all gooey . and the best part that all the cups had faces and, do you know whose face they had Rory - oh gasp - my mother and then - "  
  
"Mom you have serious issues!" Rory laughed at Lorelai's description of her dream.  
  
"So, what do you think it all means?"  
  
"I haven't the faintest idea."  
  
"But you're the smart one!" Lorelai whined, "so how's New York?" she changed the subject.  
  
"It's amazing! Being here with Jess just adds a new spin you know?"  
  
"Ah, to be young again."  
  
"Mom, you're not exactly in need of a walking stick or oxygen tank just yet." Rory reasoned.  
  
"Thank you for pointing that out to me, now I have an excuse to go out on the town, you know live it up a little! Maybe I'll even be able to persuade Luke to join me."  
  
"Oh yes I can picture it now," Rory drawled, "Luke and you sipping on Long Island Ice Tea's." they broke into a fit of giggles at the image.  
  
"Does have a certain charm to it doesn't it?" Lorelai asked, still laughing, "So is Jess with Skye right now?"  
  
"Yeah, he should be back soon."  
  
"Nervous?"  
  
"A little." Rory admitted.  
  
"Don't be, she understands."  
  
"I know, that doesn't change the fact that I acted like a moron."  
  
"It wasn't that bad." Lorelai reasoned, "And it all worked out for the best."  
  
"Yes, yes it did." She smiled happily.  
  
"I hear a smile." Lorelai teased.  
  
"Well there's a good reason it's there."  
  
"Wouldn't have anything to do with a smouldering New York native who has many hidden depths would it?"  
  
"Everything!" Rory exclaimed.  
  
"Atta girl."  
  
"Look mom, I hate to cut this short but I have to go, long distance and all." Rory said reluctantly.  
  
"Sure, honey thanks for the call and tell Jess I say hi. He is keeping you filled with good coffee right?"  
  
"Great coffee, but not as great as Luke's."  
  
"Good to hear that."  
  
"Bye mom, Tell Luke hi."  
  
"Will do. Love you."  
  
"Love you too."  
  
Rory walked to the window to look at the skyline, thinking of the conversation with her mom, going to sit on the bed a while later.  
  
She fingered the pendant around her neck for the hundredth time, counting herself lucky to have Jess in her life.  
  
She wished everyone she knew could be as happy as she was, happy and in love.  
  
Part of her still couldn't believe that he had given her something so maudlin.  
  
It was a pendant of their star signs melded together in a heart. Engraved on the back were the words:  
  
Rory and Jess Two hearts, one soul  
  
And yet it was so fitting to how things were between them at the moment and forever if she had anything to say about it.  
  
She lay on the bed smiling, wondering how things were going with Skye.  
  
Rory was getting a bit restless and so she decided to get some fresh air, grabbing her jacket on the way out.  
  
She hadn't gone very far when her past and present met head on.  
  
Shock coursing her system as he stood before her, his expression one of equal disbelief.  
  
"Mary?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
TBC.. I need some ideas for places that Jess could take Rory, so any suggestions?? 


	5. The set up

A/N: Thanks for all the suggestions, especially to Leila18. I am going try to incorporate as much as I can. To Laura Mariano - you and I are on the same page. To Angel Monroe and Coffeechick87 and Luke Rules, thanks for the encouragement. Don't worry Tristan is here to spice it up a little - but for who exactly? You'll see.  
Chapter 5  
  
The set-up  
  
~~~  
Jess was still mulling over Skye's newfound cynicism when he got back to his room later that evening.  
  
She'd seemed so adamant that love or anything resembling it didn't extend to include her now or in her future.  
  
Which, to Jess, made absolutely no sense considering that she'd played a pivotal part in him and Rory finally getting together.  
  
Something was definitely up but he knew he'd get it out of her eventually.  
  
He threw his jacket on the bed and knocked on the adjoining door that led to Rory's room but there was no answer.  
  
"Rory?" he called out but still he got no reply.  
  
He opened the door and was met with nothing, no movement, no sound - she wasn't there.  
  
Jess looked at this watch, it was after seven.  
  
He wondered where she could've gone.  
  
He tried to push aside the worry that began taking root but then reality sunk it.  
  
Rory was not exactly a native of New York and it was dark outside. Anything could have happened, she could be lost or.  
  
Jess shuddered at the thought of anything bad happening to Rory, if anyone did anything to hurt her -  
His thoughts wee cut off with her door opening, Rory came in looking dazed and slightly flustered.  
  
"Rory! Where were you? Geez I was so worried!" he exclaimed, pulling her into a hug.  
  
Rory pulled back, looking at him earnestly.  
  
"I'm sorry, I thought I'd be back before you." She said apologetically.  
  
"Where'd you go?" he asked, the anxiety not entirely gone.  
  
"Well, after I spoke to my mom, who says hi, I got a bit restless so, I thought I'd get some air but it didn't quite go the way I planned."  
  
"What do you mean? Did anyone try anything? What - "  
  
"Jess will you calm down? Nothing happened. Nothing bad at least, I think."  
  
"Rory, you think?" he asked bewilderedly.  
  
"I bumped into an old friend."  
  
Jess breathed a sigh of relief. Rory running into someone she knew, he could handle.  
  
"I didn't know you knew anyone in New York."  
  
"I don't. It's just pure coincidence that we both happen to be here at the same time."  
  
"Cool, so who is it?"  
  
"Tristan." Rory said a bit hesitantly.  
  
He knew that name well enough to know it had some semblance of significance.  
  
"Tristan! Chilton Tristan?"  
  
"The one and the same."  
  
"But I thought he was in North Carolina."  
  
"Yeah, me too. Turns out he was reformed enough to go home." She explained.  
  
"So what brings him here?"  
  
"Well, although his dad is impressed with the improvements, he's not entirely off the hook. Mr Dugrey has some business to take care of here and wanted to keep an eye on him."  
  
"How can he do that if he has meetings and stuff all day?"  
  
"Beats me." Rory shrugged.  
  
"Well, I'm glad you ran into him, it'll give you two a chance to catch up." He said, caressing her cheek.  
  
Rory stared at him disbelievingly, then shook her head smiling.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I was just thinking how amazing you are." She said kissing him.  
  
"Not that I'm denying it," he boasted, "but what do you mean?"  
  
"Your reaction to the whole thing. not everyone would've taken it so calmly." She said.  
  
"You mean Dean?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I love you Rory," he said, "I trust you."  
  
"I know, it makes it so much easier - knowing I can tell you anything."  
  
"You'll always be able to." He vowed.  
  
"I love you." She said, kissing him again.  
  
"What do you say we get out of here?" he suggested a while later.  
  
"To go where?"  
  
"You'll see." He said enigmatically.  
  
"Okay, just let me go change."  
  
"Sure."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"What's the deal with you and Mariano?"  
  
Skye looked at him as if he'd dropped off a spaceship.  
  
"What kind of question is that?" she asked puzzled.  
  
"One I'd like an answer to."  
  
"Really?" she drawled sarcastically.  
  
"You two seemed pretty tight." He remarked.  
  
"We are pretty tight Brandon! You know the story. Why ask stupid questions?"  
  
"You two just seemed more cozy than usual that's all."  
  
"We're friends Brandon." She stressed again.  
  
"Yeah, whatever." He muttered, walking off leaving Skye perplexed as she watched him leave.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Washington Square Park! Oh my word, it's beautiful!" Rory cried out.  
  
"Yes, it is." Jess said taking her hand, leading her through the miniature arc de triomph.  
  
"I used to come here all the time." He told her.  
  
"I can see why."  
  
"It's really cool here plus Central Park - way overrated."  
  
Rory laughed, she was giddy with happiness at being with Jess at a place that was so special to him  
  
"So what'd you do here?"  
  
"Mostly read, people watch, that kinda thing." He said, pulling her with him and Rory was happy to follow.  
  
"This is my favourite spot," he said, stopping at a bench nearby some chess tables, "when I had a fight with my mom or just needed to get away - I would come here. It helped clear my mind."  
  
He sat down and Rory joined him, laying her head on his shoulder.  
  
It was though time was suspended, as they sat there, neither of them speaking.  
  
But words were not necessary as they enjoyed the moment, content with the silence. It was a long while before she spoke.  
  
"I'm glad you brought me here."  
  
"I'm glad too." He said kissing her hair.  
  
Once again they let the silence envelop them.  
  
"I've been thinking." He said.  
  
"About what?"  
  
"We're meeting Skye tomorrow night right?"  
  
"Right." She answered, wondering where he was going with this,  
  
"Why don't you ask Tristan to come too?"  
  
Rory lifted her head in shock, not sure if she's heard correctly.  
  
"For real?" she asked incredulously.  
  
"For real, that way we can all hold hands and skip afterwards." He drawled.  
  
Rory swatted him playfully, still surprised at his suggestion. Jess really was incredible.  
  
"You're sure?" she asked.  
  
"I'm sure."  
  
"Great. I'll set it up."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
TBC.. 


	6. You?

Chapter 6  
  
You?  
  
~~~  
  
He still couldn't believe his luck; she was really here in New York with him.  
  
Although not with him, with him but now that she wasn't with bag boy anymore, the possibilities were endless.  
  
He recalled the way she's looked the night before: her hair framing her beautiful face like a halo, her blue eyes glistening.  
  
And suddenly he was transported to another time, to another pair of blue eyes.  
  
Ones filled with enmity and yet at the same time empathy, eyes both cruel and kind - searing your soul.  
  
He felt a shiver run down his spine and mentally shook himself from the images his mind evoked.  
  
He was saved form another mental playback by the phone ringing.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Tristan?" a voice asked a bit hesitantly.  
  
"Rory?"  
  
"Yeah, it's me. How are you?"  
  
"I'm good, really good. I was just thinking about you actually." Tristan couldn't explain the pang that ran through him as the words rolled off his tongue.  
  
He wasn't lying. He had been thinking about her before. Before someone else had begun occupying his thoughts.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So, the reason I called - " she continued.  
  
"You don't need a reason to call me Rory." He said glibly.  
  
He was met by a short silence.  
  
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind but for now - "  
  
"Uh-huh?"  
  
"Are you doing anything tonight? I know its kinda short notice."  
  
"I'm free." He cut her off assuringly.  
  
"Great, um we're meeting a friend for dinner and thought you could join us?" she asked hopefully.  
  
"Sounds good to me." He said calmly even though his heart was racing at the thought of spending time with her.  
  
"Good! So is eight okay?"  
  
"Eight is fine."  
  
"So it's at a place called Crash on Canal and - "  
  
"I know where it is."  
  
"Okay cool, so see you then?"  
  
"Definitely but 'we' Rory?"  
  
"Excuse me?" she said confused.  
  
"Earlier, you said 'we're meeting a friend'."  
  
"Me and Jess."  
  
Tristan didn't miss the way her voice softened when she said the name.  
  
"Jess?"  
  
"My boyfriend."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And he doesn't have a problem with me tagging along?"  
  
"Not at all, it was actually his suggestion."  
  
He hadn't expected that.  
  
"Well, then I'm looking forward to meeting him, them, your other friend too."  
  
"Okay see ya later Tristan."  
  
"Bye Rory." He hung up.  
  
Jess, the new boyfriend.  
  
Interesting.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Rory's nerves were starting to catch up with her. She hadn't seen Skye since that day she'd come to give Rory a piece of her mind. and she had been very daunting to say the least.  
  
Although they had spoken on the phone subsequent to said event, Rory couldn't help but wander how she would feel seeing her again.  
  
"Ror, you okay?" Jess broke into her thoughts.  
  
"Yeah, no, I don't know." She rambled.  
  
"Which one is it?"  
  
"I don't know." She admitted.  
  
"You don't know as in you don't know which one it is or as in that's the one?"  
  
"As in that's the one." She sighed.  
  
"Talk to me."  
  
"It's stupid really."  
  
"Rory - " Jess said gently.  
  
"I'm nervous." She conceded reluctantly.  
  
"About what?" he asked, puzzlement furrowing his brow.  
  
"Skye, Tristan, everything."  
  
"Okay I understand the unease concerning Tristan but why Skye?"  
  
Rory looked at him, willing him to see what was there without her having to say anything.  
  
"Oh, I get it. You're still worried about the whole confrontation thing aren't you?" he said perceptively.  
  
"Maybe, a little. okay a lot."  
  
"You have nothing to worry about." He said, brushing the hair out of her eyes.  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"I know so." He smiled, "Come on we're gonna be late."  
  
And so Rory let herself be led out the door, but still she couldn't quell the butterflies.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They were already there when she arrived just before eight. She waved at the bartender but motioned for him not to call out to her.  
  
She took advantage of their obliviousness to watch them, contentment filling her as she saw their happiness, their obvious love for each other.  
  
It made her wander, yearn for what she couldn't have, what she would never have.  
  
She seriously considered high tailing out of there but Jess caught sight of her at her last second of opportunity.  
  
"Skye!" he said happily, getting up from the table.  
  
His attitude was infectious and she found herself grinning from ear to ear as he caught her in a hug.  
  
Skye pulled back, turning to Rory, who hugged her with equal warmth but still she could sense a sort of caution on her part.  
  
"You look great Rory!"  
  
"You too." She said smiling.  
  
Skye caught Jess' grin from the corner of her eye and decided that it wasn't gonna be so bad after all. Things may be a bit weird but that was her problem, not theirs.  
  
They sat down and proceeded to catch up, while waiting for the fourth member of their party.  
  
"So where's this friend of yours?" she asked Rory.  
  
"Oh, he'll be here soon, I hope. I can't wait for both of you two to meet him."  
  
"Should be interesting." Jess drawled.  
  
Skye's phone began ringing, Brandon's name came up on the caller ID, so she got up and looked at them apologetically. "I'm sorry guys I need to take this, will you excuse me please?"  
  
"Of course." Rory said.  
  
She smiled at them, really reluctant to take the call.  
  
She wondered what Brandon wanted this time, she just hoped it wasn't a repeat of their previous conversation.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
He hadn't missed the frustration that had flitted in her eyes when she saw who was calling.  
  
And not for the first time he wondered what was happening with Skye.  
  
He wasn't accustomed to not knowing what was going on her life, he didn't like the feeling of being left out - not at all.  
  
His attention was grabbed by Rory knocking his ribs, whispering, "He's here."  
  
Jess' eyes skimmed the door and it was quite clear who Tristan was.  
  
He had 'upper class' written all over him. The typical rich little American blue blood.  
  
Blond hair, still growing out of its crew cut, blue eyes, which were at that moment surveying the crowd.  
  
Jess couldn't help thinking he was sizing up his competition.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Anticipation filled him the moment he caught sight of her.  
  
She looked amazing, but was there ever a time that she didn't?  
  
"Hi Tristan."  
  
"Hey Rory."  
  
Tristan went to meet her, giving her a chaste kiss on the cheek just to be on the safe side.  
  
Turns out he's made the right choice because then he got a really good look at the guy who was obviously Jess.  
  
"Jess Mariano," she said turning to the guy opposite him, her eyes sparkling, "meet Tristan Dugrey. Tristan, this is Jess."  
  
Tristan shook the hand that Jess Mariano offered and felt the power in the grasp.  
  
This was not someone easily messed with, he almost missed Dean.  
  
"Nice to meet you Jess." he said politely.  
  
"Likewise."  
  
He took a seat.  
  
"So am I gonna be the third wheel or what?"  
  
"No, Skye's already here." Rory answered.  
  
"Skye?"  
  
"Yes, our friend I was telling you about, Ah there she is now."  
  
"So, what'd I miss?" Tristan heard just behind him and his nerve ends started tingling.  
  
He turned around and a gasp escaped her lips.  
  
"You!"  
  
"You - "  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
TBC. if you're still interested.  
  
A/N: I borrowed the name Crash from Dark Angel, please don't sue me. I couldn't think of anything else. Okay so I need suggestions on how Skye and Tristan should act round each other - get along; don't like each other at first? Let me know please! 


	7. First impressions

Chapter 7  
  
First impressions  
  
~~~  
  
```FLASHBACK```  
  
Coming out of the drugstore, colliding with a hard wall.  
  
"Geez look where you're going next ti -" she was cut off, her breath catching in her throat.  
  
"How about next time you and I meet in a less hostile manner, not that I'm complaining understand." His eyes roaming the length of her body, sending shivers down her spine.  
  
"Go to hell!"  
  
"Ooh, temper. I like, adds some spice to the equation don't you think?"  
  
Looking into the cockiest pair of blue eyes she'd ever seen.  
  
Wanting to run.  
  
```END FLASHBACK```  
  
~~~  
  
Skye's instinct was to high tail it right out of there, her blood thundered in her ears as she stared at him in disbelief.  
  
If she weren't so shocked she would have laughed at the irony.  
  
"Skye?" she heard Jess' voice penetrate her confusion, "Skye!"  
  
She blinked uncertainly, focussing on Jess' face filled with concern. He was standing next to her. She hadn't even realised he'd stood up.  
  
"Do you two know each other?"  
  
"No!" she denied vehemently, while at the same time he answered,  
  
"Yes."  
She turned to him incredulously and was met with the same arrogance she had encountered at their first meeting.  
  
Her momentary vulnerability was replaced with anger at his impertinence but her years of learning to keep her emotions in check covered her disadvantage well.  
  
The only indication that she had been caught off guard was one she was not aware of - her eyes, burning a brilliant heliotrope.  
  
"Well which is it?" Jess asked.  
  
"We have met." Tristan answered.  
  
"Unfortunately." Skye added, causing Rory and Jess' eyebrows to rise enquiringly.  
  
"But we haven't been formally introduced." He carried on, unfazed.  
  
"Pity we have to change that." She drawled pointedly, as she sat down next to Jess, which just happened to be opposite Mr hot shot.  
  
Rory cleared her throat uncertainly and proceeded to make the introductions, despite the tension that had set in.  
  
"Skye Matthews, Tristan Dugrey."  
  
"Skye, pleasure to meet you." He said urbanely, offering his hand when it was clear she had no intention of putting her hand out first.  
  
"The pleasure's definitely all yours." She said, shaking his hand with barely veiled contempt.  
  
She shot an apologetic look at Rory who was looking quite uneasy at the turn of events.  
  
"I'm sorry." She said a while later when it seemed that the walls were closing in because of the discord.  
  
"It's okay." Rory said genially.  
  
"No, its not. I'm taking my feelings about something else and projecting them onto the wrong situation and I apologise. Maybe I should just go and we can try this again some other time." She said standing up.  
  
"Skye wait!" Jess said, holding onto her arm.  
  
She saw the expression in his eyes and guilt flooded her. She was acting totally out of character and she didn't know why exactly, she just knew it had  
  
something to do with the guy across from her, even if she had given some other pretext.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
There was obviously something more to the story but for the moment Jess was forced to be patient, as he silently willed her to stay.  
  
She got the message, as he knew she would but he was still relieved when she sat down again.  
  
"Why don't we just order?" he suggested to smooth things over.  
  
"Do you think we could just start again?" Skye asked, slightly aversely.  
  
No one saw any reason not to, thank goodness. Jess eyed Rory surreptitiously, her confusion clear but to her credit she didn't say anything which might have added to tension.  
  
The four of them sat in awkward silence until Skye jumped up, "I'll get the drinks."  
  
"I'll come with you." Jess offered and was met with a succinct glance from Skye, which he chose to ignore, "What will it be?"  
  
"Cherry soda for me thanks." Rory said, grinning at Jess.  
  
He winked at her in return, it was clear they had the same idea.  
  
"Same for me." Tristan said with an indolent smile.  
  
Jess wasn't sure if he liked the guy or not but something told him whatever Skye had to say would help clear things up.  
  
"Coming right up." He took hold of Skye's elbow, leading her away so he could find out what was up.  
  
He didn't miss the way the way Tristan's eyes followed her across the room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What was that?" Rory asked him, the moment they were out of earshot.  
  
"What?" he asked innocently, even though he knew exactly what she was talking about.  
  
"Tristan - " she warned.  
  
"It's nothing." He said, he said dismissively, still watching them.  
  
He wandered what the deal was between her and Jess, they looked really comfortable with each other.  
  
"If it's nothing then why can't you keep your eyes off her?" she reasoned.  
  
"What? That's crazy talk." He denied. He felt like he'd been caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar, which was ridiculous.  
  
"If you say so." She said smugly.  
  
"I say so!"  
  
"If it's nothing then you can tell me right?"  
  
"We bumped into each other a couple of days ago, literally." He conceded reluctantly.  
  
"And?. no Tristan don't tell me -"  
  
"Geez Rory! What do you take me for?" he asked defensively.  
  
"Well, back at Chilton..."  
  
"That was different, I was different. I'm not like that anymore."  
  
Rory looked at him dubiously.  
  
"I'm not!" he stressed.  
  
"I believe you, so what else."  
  
"We hardly spent a couple of minutes in each other's company Rory, it's not a major deal. Some comments were made in passing and that is all. The end, finis, got it?"  
  
"Got it." She said smiling, but he didn't notice because he found his eyes drifting elsewhere.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Everything alright?" Jess asked when they got back to the table.  
  
"Yes." Rory answered.  
  
She noticed that Skye seemed more relaxed and she was glad. Maybe she was making too big a deal of their reactions to seeing each other but she knew she wasn't misconstruing the way Tristan had looked at her, the way he was still looking at her.  
  
Jess took hold of her hand across the table, squeezing it gently, reassuringly.  
  
She couldn't wait to hear what Skye's take was but Jess mouthed the word 'later' and she smiled.  
  
The soft lights highlighted the richness of his hair and Rory ached to run her fingers through it.  
  
"So," Skye cleared her throat, "Tristan," saying his name with a hint of denigration, "I understand you know Rory from Chilton."  
  
For a moment Rory thought he was going to reject her olive branch but he didn't.  
  
"Yes, freshman year my whole life changed when Mary graced us with her presence."  
  
"Mary? .Okay private joke, understood."  
  
"By you maybe, but I wanna know." Jess retorted, even though he knew all about Rory's dealings with the Chiltonites.  
  
"It's stupid really," Rory blushed.  
  
"I don't mind spilling." Tristan answered.  
  
"So spill already, that is if it really is okay with you Rory." Skye said, and Rory got a glimpse of the Skye she'd gotten to know back in Stars Hollow.  
  
"If you must." She conceded happily.  
  
"The girls at Chilton, sorry a lot of the girls at Chilton," he corrected when Rory glared at him, "weren't exactly shy. They used their uniform as a platform to advertise their bodies if you will. The guys,"  
  
"Meaning you?" Skye asked without rancour, this time.  
  
"The guys," he winked, causing a faint smile to cross her lips, " were used to the teases and the like and so along comes Miss goody two shoes here," he motioned to Rory, "and completely threw us for a six."  
  
"Yeah, she has that affect on people." Jess agreed gently and Rory felt warm all over as he traced lazy circles on her wrist with his thumb.  
  
"Anyway, because she wasn't exactly vamp of the year, and owing to the fact that she wasn't a conformist we nicknamed her Mary."  
  
"As in virgin Mary."  
  
"Uh-huh," he said, sipping his drink. "I will admit though, I'm not proud of the way we treated you back then." He turned to Rory apologetically.  
  
"Apology accepted. Besides the past is the past."  
  
Jess started laughing all of a sudden and the three of them looked at him quizzically.  
  
"What's so funny Mariano?" Skye asked.  
  
"I was just thinking about first impressions."  
  
Rory smiled knowingly.  
  
"Will somebody please share the joke?" Tristan asked "Or is this another one of those private things?"  
  
"Rory once commented on how the saying goes first impressions count but that hardly anyone looks deeper, to see that they can be illusory." He explained.  
  
"That's true." Skye agreed, "but sometimes you can hit the nail right on the head." She said, looking across from her over her glass.  
  
"Jess, why don't you and I go get another round?" Rory asked pointedly.  
  
He looked like he was going to argue but thought better of it; Rory was relieved as she led him away. Maybe all Skye and Tristan needed was some time to air their grievances.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Her contradictory emotions intensified with being left alone with him. She called Jess a traitor and all sorts of synonyms in her mind.  
  
She just had a sudden urge to provoke him but to her disconcertion and reprieve he let the dig slide.  
  
"So what's your deal Skye?" Tristan challenged instead.  
  
"Nothing exciting." She said ambiguously.  
  
"Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" he insisted.  
  
"Fine, ask away." She sighed.  
  
"I take it you're a New York native?"  
  
"Born and bred." She said proudly.  
  
"So what school do you go to?"  
  
"Don't go to school."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Other commitments."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Are you always this inquisitive?"  
  
"Are you always this evasive?" he threw back at her.  
  
His insistence was causing rivulets of panic in Skye. But outwardly she exuded self-control.  
  
"What are you hiding?" he asked again.  
  
"What makes you think I'm hiding anything?"  
  
"You've answered two questions with a question." He remarked.  
  
"Just trying to even out the playing field. Nothing wrong with that is there?"  
  
"Three." He mused.  
  
"Funny."  
  
"And we have a statement." He exclaimed humorously, his eyes twinkling a clear azure.  
  
"Seriously though I'm only trying to get to know you." He said, when she offered no reply to his bantering.  
  
"Let's get one thing straight Tristan, you will never know me." She said bristly, her eyes hardening to indigo chips.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
TBC. sorry guys, I know it was a really crappy chapter but I'll make it up to you I hope. Next chapter will definitely have more R/J interaction!! 


	8. So why?

A/N: As promised, more R/J action. Hope it's to your satisfaction.  
  
Chapter 8  
  
So why?  
  
~~~  
  
He'd never met anyone quite so inscrutable but what wound him up the most was that he couldn't stop thinking about her.  
  
She'd given him ample reason to push her to the recesses of his mind and yet he found her taking precedence.  
  
Why?  
  
He could just pass if off to her being striking and she was, undeniably so but he couldn't refute that it was more than that.  
  
Something in her eyes had given it away; something had seeped through her self-control to pierce his usual cavalier ness.  
  
And what bothered him just as much, if not more so, was that he was supposed to be thinking of someone else, the person who'd filled his days and nights back in Carolina - Rory.  
  
So why was it that whenever he tried to recall her face he saw Skye instead?  
  
It's just the thrill of the chase, he told himself reassuringly.  
  
Yeah, that was it exactly.  
  
So why didn't he quite believe it?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"How much longer?"  
  
"You really don't grasp the concept of surprises much do you?" he asked mischievously.  
  
"Jess - "  
  
"Come on Ror, just a little while more, I promise."  
  
"Okay." She said grudgingly.  
  
"You have to see it at that certain moment otherwise it defeats the purpose of us being up here." He explained.  
  
"In the middle of the night?"  
  
"It's hardly the middle of the night, besides time doesn't count in the city that never sleeps."  
  
"The city may never sleep but I do, you owe me some serious caffeine Mister!" she said, shaking her finger.  
  
"Ooh stern face." He teased.  
  
She stuck her tongue out at him and he laughed, grabbing hold around her waist.  
  
"Now." He said, turning her to face away from him, pulling her close and resting his chin on her shoulder.  
  
Rory was suddenly very quiet, hardly breathing.  
  
"Jess, it's beautiful." She whispered reverently.  
  
"Yes, there's nothing quite like watching the sunrise from up here." He had brought her to an apartment building near to where he used to live. It had always been a sort of a sanctuary to him and he wanted to share it with her.  
  
"And to think I didn't wanna get out of bed."  
  
"Worth it?" he asked softly in her ear.  
  
"Definitely!" she answered, turning towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck.  
  
"You're missing the view." He murmured amusedly.  
  
"I like this one better." She answered, drawing him closer for a kiss.  
  
Jess could have stayed like that forever.  
  
"Hmm," she said a while later, "If I'm dreaming don't wake me up."  
  
"Oh, you're not dreaming but if you're tired we could head back." He traced her jaw with his index finger, feeling her shiver beneath his touch. He smiled softly.  
  
"No, please. I'm wide awake now." She answered breathlessly.  
  
"Really? Without a second cup of coffee?"  
  
"Yeah, must have something to do with the air." She mused.  
  
"I heard about that actually, its zippy properties are supposed to leave one feeling quite refreshed." He said in mock seriousness.  
  
She reached up to kiss him again.  
  
"I love you Jess Mariano." She whispered solemnly and his heart pounded at the words. He would never tire of them.  
  
"I love you Rory Gilmore."  
  
"So shall we begin the next phase of the tour?" he asked later.  
  
"Lead on."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Rory found herself in one of the coffee shops in Greenwich Village, the aroma of cocoa beans permeating the air.  
  
"What will it be?" Jess asked her.  
  
"I don't know, there's so many to choose from."  
  
"They're all good." He reassured her.  
  
"That doesn't help me much." She answered ruefully, "My mom would love it here."  
  
"Yeah and Luke would be going into cardiac arrest."  
  
They shared reminiscent smiles.  
  
"Have you decided yet?" he asked indulgently, somewhat later.  
  
"How's the Caramello?" she asked pointing to the far end of the board.  
  
"Delicious. It's caramel flavoured coffee topped with whipped cream and cinnamon."  
  
"Sold." She said eagerly.  
  
"Thought so, why don't you grab a table and I'll get the order."  
  
"Works for me, mind if we sit outside though? I wanna soak up the atmosphere."  
  
"Anything for you milady."  
"You're too kind good sir." She smiled as she made her way to an empty table.  
  
Jess joined her a couple of minutes later, placing a steaming hot mug in from of her and a couple of muffins.  
  
"Your caffeine fix as promised."  
  
"Smells delicious."  
  
"They're addictive." He warned her.  
  
"What did you order?"  
  
"The Peppermento."  
  
"Sounds daring."  
  
"Hey you know I'm just a regular evil knevil with a penchant for peppermint mocha and sweet kisses." He grinned devishly.  
  
"Are you hinting?"  
  
"Hell yeah!"  
  
"Who am I to deny such a plea?" she teased, leaning over the table to appease his appetite for the latter.  
  
Rory took a tentative sip of her coffee; "This is really amazing!"  
  
"Glad you like it."  
  
"So, are we ever gonna talk about it?" she asked, breaking the silence between them when their coffee was almost finished, their fingers still entwined.  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Last night." She quipped.  
  
"Well?" she asked when no answer was forthcoming, "What are you thinking about?"  
  
"About what Skye would have said if she knew we were going to have this conversation."  
  
"Would she be angry?" Rory asked sensitively.  
  
"No, more confused as to why, according to her, we would waste our time."  
  
"Something's bothering her isn't it?"  
  
"Yes Rory," he sighed, " but honestly, I don't know what it is."  
  
"You should go talk to her." she insisted.  
  
Rory knew and accepted that Jess and Skye were close. She didn't have a problem with that. If they could do something to get Skye to feel better then she would be very glad.  
  
"I know, but she's not ready yet."  
  
Rory watched as his eyes lit up in worried amusement after another momentary lapse in the conversation.  
  
"Share." She said softly.  
  
"I was thinking several years back. On top of the building we were on this morning,"  
  
"Yes?" she encouraged.  
  
"We had argued one day in class and I was really mad. This was before we were really friends. I had thought the argument was over but she was thinking the exact opposite, she followed me up there, which only made me even more furious. Firstly how dare she invade my space you know?"  
  
Rory smiled at him indulgently.  
  
"Secondly she was a girl. Girls weren't supposed to be able to climb up ladders to roofs of apartment buildings," he laughed in self-derision,  
  
"Apparently I had walked away when she hadn't finished ranting which had enraged her further. I had the audacity to tell her I didn't have time for a lot of hot air and she kicked me. She was a live wire even then."  
  
He laughed and Rory joined in, picturing the two of them as little kids.  
  
"What happened next?"  
  
"That was actually the real start of our friendship. We were inseparable after that. I know this is probably gonna sound weird but I am so glad we argued that day. Who know what might've happened if we hadn't."  
  
Rory offered her other hand across the table and Jess put his in hers. She lifted them to her lips, gently kissing his knuckles. She saw his eyes darken at the gesture.  
  
"I don't think it sounds weird at all."  
  
"You don't?"  
  
"No," she insisted, "I think it sounds like you appreciate the fact that she's in your life. You care about her and that just makes you who you are."  
  
"Thanks, can I ask you something?"  
  
"Of course you can."  
  
"I just don't want you to take it the wrong way." He explained, making Rory more curious.  
  
"I won't."  
  
"Do you think maybe," still he hesitated.  
  
"Jess - " she warned.  
  
"Do you think maybe, Tristan said something to her?"  
  
"He must have because the tension between the two of them, when we got back, it was glacial." She recalled.  
  
"Yeah but what? Skye's normally very laid back."  
  
"Maybe, it had nothing to do with Tristan at all." She reasoned.  
  
"You're right there, but still I wonder."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She couldn't get the cocky, egotistical son of a gun out of her head no matter how hard she tried.  
  
And she had tried.  
  
When he wasn't filling her mind, he was invading her dreams. For goodness sake was there no reprieve?  
  
Skye was livid.  
  
The main cause being that she doubted her reactions to his questioning. Maybe he had just been trying to be friendly, make the most of what had started out as an awkward situation.  
  
And what had she gone and done? Just added fuel to the fire. He probably never wanted to see her again.  
Not that she cared. she didn't, she told herself.  
  
She was just feeling guilty because he was a friend of Rory's and she hadn't made an effort to be more affable.  
  
That was the only reason.  
  
So why didn't she quite believe it?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: So what did you think? Suggestions most welcome. 


	9. Not nothing

Chapter 9  
  
Not nothing  
  
~~~  
  
He hesitated just for a moment before dialling the number; he needed to know what was going on.  
  
It rang five times before she picked up.  
  
"Hello?" she answered groggily.  
  
"Who was on the phone that night?" he asked, not pausing for pleasantries.  
  
"Jess? What - "  
  
"Who was on the phone Skye?"  
  
"For crap's sakes Jess, its," she paused, " four in the freakin' morning."  
  
"So?" he asked, seeming to find nothing out of the ordinary for them to be talking at that time.  
  
"So?" she asked incredulously, "can we please have this conversation later?"  
  
"No." he insisted.  
  
"Why the hell not?"  
  
"Because you'll find some reason why we don't need to talk about it later."  
  
"We don't need to talk about it now." She stressed.  
  
"Skye - " he warned.  
  
"Fine, it was Brandon okay, just Brandon. I don't know why you're making such a big deal about this."  
  
"Because you were upset."  
  
"I was not upset!" she said, fully awake now.  
  
"You were upset." He asserted.  
  
"Okay, so is there a point to all of this then?" she drawled sardonically.  
  
"What did he do to upset you?"  
  
"He didn't upset me! Geez what is with the third degree?"  
  
"If he didn't upset you then who did?" he badgered again.  
  
"I'm gonna hang up now."  
  
"Skye wait -"  
  
"One more chance Mariano." She warned.  
  
"Was it Tristan?"  
  
"What?" she screeched so loudly that he had to hold the phone away from his ear.  
  
"Was it -" he started.  
  
"Yeah, I heard you, I just can't believe you asked me that."  
  
"Why not? It seems logical. You two were alone talking at the table and when we came back - ice."  
  
"So?"  
  
"There must be a reason."  
  
"There's no reason, it's nothing Jess, absolutely nothing!"  
  
Frustration made him want to bait her, to force her to admit that she wasn't herself and the reason behind it.  
  
"Then 'cause it's nothing you won't mind that he'll be joining us again tonight."  
  
He was met with silence and he could almost hear her thinking. For a moment he thought he'd finally get the truth out of her.  
  
"Why would I mind? Sure bring him along; bring the whole damn city along while you're at it. I could care less. Now if you don't mind," she bit out, "I'm gonna get some sleep."  
  
And with that she slammed the phone down in his ear, which just confirmed in Jess' mind that it definitely had something to do with blue blood and it was most definitely not nothing.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"How did it go?" Rory asked Jess later that morning.  
  
"Not so good."  
  
"Did you find out anything?"  
  
"No, Skye was in one of her ambiguous moods."  
  
"Which is quite frustrating I imagine." She said wrapping her arms around his waist.  
  
"I'll say." He kissed her hair gently.  
  
"She'll tell you what's wrong when she's ready right? You said so yourself."  
  
"Yeah, I did but now I'm not so sure." He said sombrely.  
  
"What do you mean?" Rory asked in confusion.  
  
"I'm not sure if she'll tell me anything when she's ready or not."  
  
"Jess, you and Skye, inseparable remember? Not gonna change anytime soon." She said firmly.  
  
"I feel like things are changing and not necessarily for the better you know?"  
  
"Talk to her but not in the early hours of the morning and I'm sure she'll be her old self."  
  
"I just don't want her to think that I'm not there for her anymore."  
  
"I'm sure she doesn't think that."  
  
"Yeah, you're right."  
  
"It'll be okay you'll see. She was there for you so maybe it's just time to return the favour, and you know I'm here to help."  
  
"What would I do without you?"  
  
"I don't think you're gonna have to worry about that." She vowed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
She couldn't prolong it any longer; this was Jess for crying out loud - her best friend. She had no reason to be so nervous.  
  
Skye knocked on the door and waited, her stomach a playground for the butterflies.  
  
He opened just as she was about to walk away, his surprise evident.  
  
"Hey you." She said weakly.  
  
"Hey."  
  
He stood in the doorway and she looked at him, the silence stretching on.  
  
"If this is a bad time I could -" she started.  
  
"No, of course not come on in." he said, standing aside to let her through.  
  
"Thanks, where's Rory?"  
  
"Out." He said, sitting on the bed.  
  
So it was gonna be like that, she could handle it.  
  
"Out where?" she pressed, sitting down beside him.  
  
"Out with Tristan."  
  
She purposefully ignored the shiver hearing that name brought her.  
  
"That's nice."  
  
"Yeah, it's absolutely marvellous." He said morosely, his tone grating on her already shredded nerves.  
  
"Look I'm sorry okay!"  
  
"Skye -" he said, his face softening.  
  
"No, listen I'm trying to apologise here. I'm sorry I snapped at you this morning. I'm sorry if I've made Rory feel bad because of my attitude. I don't know what's gotten into me." She admitted dismally.  
  
"Skye talk to me please, I feel like we're losing touch here. I don't like it at all!"  
  
"Oh Jess." she cried, hugging him tight.  
  
"What's going on?" he asked gently.  
  
"I don't know," she said honestly, pulling back, "things have just been weird lately. I guess that if I had to pinpoint it I would say that it started around last week. Things in the band were a bit tense when we got back from the tour but that's understandable right?"  
  
"Right." He encouraged  
  
"It's just - " she stopped abruptly, not exactly knowing how to continue.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Brandon's been acting really weird lately and as you know it was him that phoned the other night but for no real purpose you know?"  
  
"Maybe he's just going through some things." He shrugged.  
  
"Yeah, I know he is but he won't tell me and it's damn -"  
  
"Frustrating?" he offered.  
  
"Uh-huh." She smiled sheepishly, "Guess we both know how it feels to be shut out huh?"  
  
"Not the most wonderful feeling is it?"  
  
"No." she said simply, laying her head on his shoulder, "I'm really sorry Jess."  
  
He put his arm around her, "Me too, especially me baiting you with the whole Tristan thing."  
  
Skye stiffened involuntarily, and she knew he felt it.  
  
"Skye?"  
  
"Uh-huh?"  
  
"You don't mind if he hangs out with us do you?"  
  
She considered lying for a moment, but she couldn't - not to Jess.  
  
She jumped up and paced for a bit, trying to put her feelings into words.  
  
"Um, it's not that I mind, it's just that I'm not entirely sure if it is nothing."  
  
"Explain please." He asked worriedly.  
  
"He was asking all these questions, saying he wanted to get to know me." She conceded, slumping back on the bed.  
  
"Ah." He said knowingly, "and so you freaked."  
  
"I wouldn't say 'freaked' exactly."  
  
"You freaked Skye."  
  
"Okay so I freaked! Sue me. I'm probably just overreacting, projecting my concerns about Brandon onto the situation."  
  
"You won't know unless you spend some time with him."  
  
"But he's so arrogant!"  
  
Jess laughed and soon after she joined him.  
  
"What do you think of him?"  
  
"My opinion doesn't count in this case." He evaded.  
  
"Come on, he's a friend of Rory's."  
  
"Yes he is." He said softly and Skye knew what he was trying to ask her.  
  
"Okay, I'll try but I can't promise anything." She yielded eventually.  
  
"But you will try for Rory's sake?" he clarified.  
  
"Yes Jess, I will try."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: I am sorry for the lousiness of this chapter. I know nothing really happened but it was just a filler until more interesting things happen, please feel free to pass on any suggestions. Thanks. 


	10. Bait

Chapter 10  
  
Bait  
  
~~~  
  
For some reason he found himself not really looking forward to the evening ahead.  
  
He still had varied emotions concerning a certain impetuous individual and he wasn't sure if he was going to come out of this one relatively unscathed.  
  
But Rory had insisted that he come along and that things weren't going to be so bad, he wasn't so sure.  
  
So it was with a touch of trepidation that he made his way into tonights selected venue.  
  
He realised he was the first one to arrive which sort of calmed him down until he saw the reason for his unwillingness walk towards him a few minutes later. Her eyes were shimmering amethyst this time and he wondered what lay in store for him.  
  
"Wait," she said before he had a chance to talk, "I'm not gonna bite your head off, so just relax." she continued.  
  
He hadn't exactly been expecting this greeting.  
  
"I was relaxed until you showed up." He retorted and then mentally kicked himself for drawing attention to his vulnerability.  
  
If she noticed what he'd done, she didn't let on.  
  
"I come bearing a white flag." She said directly.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
Tristan wasn't sure if this was genuine, although he had to admit she seemed to appear friendlier even if he could sense a trace of reluctance. He fought back a smile at knowing he wasn't the only one feeling ill at ease.  
  
"You know what forget it." She said suddenly, turning to walk away.  
  
He jumped up before she could take a step, taking hold of her arm "Whoa, what is this?"  
  
She jerked herself free, "This is me walking away."  
  
"Why are you so sensitive?"  
  
"Why are you such a jerk?" she retorted frostily.  
  
He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. They were travelling down the same path as before.  
  
She must have come to the same conclusion because her gaze softened and she sighed deeply.  
  
"Why don't we start over?" he suggested tentatively, gesturing towards the table.  
  
She sat down and he took it as acquiescence.  
  
"Like I was saying," she said pointedly, "I came to - G-d why is this so hard?"  
  
"What's hard?" he asked even though he felt the same way.  
  
"This! Me, you. me trying to talk to you without, oh I don't know." She finished helplessly.  
  
"I think you do. Tell me." He encouraged.  
  
She sat opposite him, peering at him intently and Tristan felt like his essence was being dissected and yet he couldn't look away. Her eyes, they were hypnotic.  
  
"I find it hard sitting here with you, trying to make polite chit chatter while you sit there all smug and snotty, it's absolutely infuriating!" she bit out bluntly.  
  
He couldn't have hidden his surprise to that if he had tried.  
  
"I'm smug and snotty - what about you?"  
  
"What about me?"  
  
"You're the one who's all over-sensitive and always on the defensive!" he bit out before he'd even known that was what he had been thinking.  
  
It was though his mouth had a mind of its own.  
  
"I am not sensitive or always defensive! You don't know me!"  
  
"Yes, and I never will as you've so subtly pointed out to me." He retorted resentfully.  
  
Why did he even care that she was hell bent on shutting him out?  
  
"Why do you even care?"  
  
What, was she a mind reader now?  
  
"I never said I cared."  
  
He'd thought it but he hadn't said it, so technically he wasn't lying.  
  
"You never said you didn't." she countered angrily.  
  
"Well you can rest assured I don't!" he threw at her and instantly regretted it.  
  
He felt the atmosphere change after that, the tension was hanging over them like a cloud. He felt the tingles of awareness as he held his breath.  
  
"Now that we've got that sorted I can leave, I don't know why I even bothered." She said, getting up from her seat.  
  
Tristan wasn't sure why but he wasn't ready to end things just yet.  
  
"Please don't go on my account."  
  
The words were out of his mouth before he even realised that they sounded a bit derogatory.  
  
Apparently she shared the same view because her eyes widened in anger and other suppressed emotions, which he couldn't define.  
  
Tristan couldn't help admiring the array of colours, which flitted in their depths; he's never seen eyes change to so many hues in such a short time, it was completely enrapturing.  
  
"Excuse me?" she asked deceptively softly.  
  
"I meant that you shouldn't leave if you're feeling uncomfortable." He replied half in provocation.  
  
"You're very presumptuous, did anyone ever tell you that?" she bit out.  
  
"If you can't handle being around me just say so." He baited.  
  
"Someone certainly hit every branch on their way down the conceited tree." Her spat out, her eyes gleaming violet now.  
  
"Are you staying or not?" he asked, despite the sudden alarm that crept into him.  
  
"Oh, I'm definitely not going anywhere," she sat back down again, "I certainly wouldn't want to deprive myself of the rapture of your company." She drawled scathingly.  
  
"What a waste that would be." He agreed, ignoring the barb.  
  
Tristan didn't know what was wrong with him but he couldn't help baiting her to see which retort she would fire back at him. It was only then that he realised that he might be the one to get hooked.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Could this evening possibly get any worse?  
  
Skye thought to herself as she sat across from him, drawing on every ounce of intrepidity that she possessed not to smack him right then and there.  
  
What on earth had she been thinking, promising Jess she would give it a try?  
  
Speaking of Jess, where the heck were they anyway - if they didn't their butts down here pronto, she would not be responsible for the consequences.  
  
The moment they arrived she shot out of her seat, hardly pausing for greetings and dragged him away apologetically from Rory, who seemed utterly confused.  
  
She had no doubt that Tristan would relay his account of the tale to her, as well as the fact that she would be painted in a non-flattering light.  
  
She pounced on Jess, when they were out of earshot.  
  
"I can't do this!"  
  
"What?" Jess asked, completely befuddled, but Skye ignored him, she had a couple of things on her mind.  
  
"He is the most arrogant, smug, snotty son of -"  
  
"Whoa!" Jess cut in.  
  
"a gun I have ever had the misfortune of meeting Jess! I cannot spend five minutes in his company without wanting to throttle him. He says the cockiest things. Does he not know the world doesn't revolve around him?" She asked incredulously.  
  
"Skye -"  
  
"No, Jess - you listen. It's not just what he says, 'cause I know you were gonna say something along those lines. I'm sure if he just sat there I'd wanna kill him too! G-d why did I agree to this again?" she threw her hands up forlornly.  
  
Jess stood there flabbergasted, "This guy is really getting to you isn't he?"  
  
"He is not getting to me, he's not getting at me, he's not getting me period!"  
  
"Would you please calm down?" he asked with a smile on his face.  
  
"I am calm!" she yelled.  
  
"Really?" he drawled.  
  
"I am calm and would you please stop smiling. Why are you smiling?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"I just never thought this day would come that's all. And boy, am I glad to see it."  
  
"What on earth are you rambling about? What day?" Skye was not following him at all.  
  
"The day some guy, other than me, would affect you in any way. Get you to let down your defences and actually penetrate that wall you've built around yourself. Hey mine's been broken, now it's your turn."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"Tristan's affecting -"  
  
"Jess Mariano, if you utter another word I swear -" she fumed, "you take that back right now. All that stuff you said, you take it back!" she threatened menacingly.  
  
"Skye, relax. It's not necessarily a bad thing." He reasoned.  
  
"No it is definitely a bad thing! Tristan? No way, do you hear me no freakin' way!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: This chapter was just sort of introducing the possibility of S and T?? What do you guys think? Next chapter more R/J action don't worry!!! The next update will come after the Easter weekend 'cause we have a LONG weekend here in SA, Yay!!!!! That is if you are still interested.. 


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